Small Talk
by Vicki595
Summary: After eight years apart, what can you say?
1. Small Talk

**

Small Talk

**   
  
**Category:** angst   
**Spoilers:** "2010"   
**Pairing:** Daniel/Janet   
**Summary:** After eight years apart, what can you say?   
**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.   
  


* * *

She didn't know why she had come. As soon she she'd seen him, talking with Teal'c, her breath caught in her throat. She had the urge to turn and run from the terminal. Back home to one-bedroom apartment in Washington, where she could just forget about him. 

She snorted, and grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing tray. There was no way she was going to be able to deal with this without alcohol, and briefly wished that there was something stronger on offer. 

Tearing her eyes away from him, she scanned the small crowd who had merited invitations to this exclusive pre-ceremony gathering. How her name had ended up on the list, she wasn't sure, and half wished that it hadn't. She caught a brief glance of her best friend, who was chatting with a couple of Aschen. Her husband was with her, and she felt a bitter stab of resentment. Her friend's life seemed so perfect especially when compared to her own. She had a loving husband, her job wasn't obsolete, and while she was still childless, it would surely only be a matter of time before that was rectified. Samantha Carter had everything, while Janet Fraiser had nothing. Cassandra had her own life, off world, and Janet couldn't remember the last time she had seen her daughter. 

She turned away from the couple, draining the rest of her drink. This was a mistake; she shouldn't have come. The old ghosts and memories being dredged up were too much for her to handle. She had tried to put this period of her life behind her, and being here was just reopening old wounds. 

She placed her empty glass on the bar, and looked towards the exit. 

Her eyes met those of Doctor Daniel Jackson across the room, and she felt as though she couldn't move.   
  


* * *

He wished, futilely, that he had turned this invitation down. At the time, he thought that he couldn't really do that, as it came from the President himself. Jack had; but then again, Jack was many things he wasn't. Yet there were some very important similarities between the two men still. 

It nothing else, it gave him a chance to catch up with Teal'c. However Teal'c's proud talk of his family was yet another reminder of what Daniel didn't have. He didn't even have a place to call home. He had an apartment in New York, but it was cold, impersonal and unwelcoming. He threw himself into his work, as he had always done. But it was a poor substitute for life. 

He felt his gaze wander as Teal'c started to talk about his newest son. He hardly recognised any of the people present, and wondered what they had done to deserve an invitation to this function. He had never liked politics, and was pretty confident that politics was responsible for most of this guest list. 

He wondered how quickly he could escape once the ceremony was over, although he didn't really have much to do. He supposed he'd return to work and lock himself in his office with an artefact or manuscript for the rest of the day. 

His roving eye moved towards the bar area, and he contemplated getting another drink. He spotted a familiar figure placing a glass on the bar, and his eyes widened. Surely it wasn't her? It had to be a figment of his imagination. 

The woman turned. His eyes locked with Doctor Janet Fraiser's and he froze.   
  


* * *

  
  
**_2001_**

"What'cha doing?" he asked, slipping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. She sighed and relaxed back into his embrace, while he nuzzled playfully at her neck. 

"Just thinking that I need to get back home to Cassie," she replied, looking out over the twinkling lights of Colorado Springs. 

Daniel groaned. "I was hoping you'd stay with me tonight," he said. "I don't like waking up alone." 

"Me neither," Janet confessed. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I want to tell everyone about us, but it doesn't seem to be the right time." 

"I know what you mean," Daniel said, leaning down to kiss her sweetly. "It just seems that there's everything else to consider... the treaty with the Aschen, Teal'c leaving, Sam and Joe, the Program going public in a few weeks..." He paused. "Jack." 

"He's moving up to the cabin next weekend," Janet informed her lover. "He's packing and sending boxes up all this week, then he'll drive up himself. The house will go on the market the Monday after." 

Daniel frowned. "How do you know that?" he asked. "He's said nothing to me about it... not that he's said much to me anyway in the past year." 

Janet gave him a little smile. "Blood ties bind," she said. "Obviously as his cousin he felt that I deserved to know. I think he was planning on telling everyone else after he'd done it. Don't say anything about it to him. You won't be able to change his mind - he's stubborn like that." 

"Must be a family trait then," Daniel grinned, moving his hands to her hips and lifting her small frame easily. She shrieked and wound her legs around his middle as he carried her back inside to the bedroom.   
  


* * *

Teal'c noticed that Daniel was no longer listening to what he was saying, and followed his gaze. 

"I was not aware Doctor Fraiser had been invited to the ceremony," he remarked. 

"No, neither was I," Daniel replied softly, not taking his eyes off her, fearing that she would vanish if he looked away. 

"I shall allow you to go and talk to her," Teal'c said, inclining his head slightly and moving away. 

Fifteen feet and eight years melted away and he found himself standing nervously in front of his ex-lover. 

"Hi Janet."   
  


* * *

  
  
**_2001_**

"I want you and Cassie to stay here when it all goes public," he announced, as he watched her climb into bed next to him, wearing just one of his shirts. 

Janet left the bedside light on and looked at him. "Why?" she asked, her brow furrowed slightly. 

"I just think it would be safer," he explained. "People can't just enter the complex, and I'd be much happier having you with me." 

"We'd have to tell Cassie about us," she reminded him, propping herself up on one elbow as she lay down facing him. He did the same. 

"I know," he said. "I think she should know anyway." 

Janet sighed. "She might not take this well," she warned him. "She's been a typical, sulky teen recently. God knows how she'll react when we try and restrict her social life **and** tell her that we're seeing each other." 

"We don't know how much they're declassifying," he said. "For all we know, Kinsey might let it slip that Cass isn't actually from Earth, and I don't want to think about some of the possible reactions to that." 

Janet looked at him with wide, fearful eyes. "Do you really think he'd do that?" she asked. "That could destroy her entire life - again." 

He pulled her into his arms and held her close. "I think he's capable of it," he said. "She has to be away from your house when it breaks, just in case." 

He felt her nod against his chest. "We'll tell her tomorrow when she gets back from Emily's," she said, her voice slightly muffled. 

"Okay then," he replied, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, and reaching to turn off the light behind her. "Goodnight." 

"Night."   
  


* * *

"Daniel," Janet smiled tightly up at him, berating herself for coming. She should have realised that she'd be unable to avoid him. "How have you been?" 

"Busy," he replied. "Working, I mean. How about you?" 

She shrugged. "Not so much. No one's really interested in the archaic medicine I practise anymore." 

Daniel mentally hit himself for bringing up work. Janet had talked to him about how she had started to feel useless when the Aschen had started to share their technology with Earth. 

The silence between them was awkward. Daniel was studying her intently, longing to take her hair down and run his fingers through it as it cascaded across her shoulders... 

"So, how's Cassie?" he asked, trying to restart the conversation and stop his mind from wandering further. 

Another shrug. "Okay, I suppose. She lives off world, and doesn't really keep in contact much. How's Teal'c doing? I saw you speaking with him earlier." 

"Oh, he's good," Daniel said, not really wanting to talk about Teal'c and his seemingly perfect life. "Proud father to three boys and two girls now. The youngest was born about six months ago." 

"That's nice," she said, trying to look anywhere but in his eyes. Morbid curiosity made her ask the next question. "Have you got a family life at all?" 

His face looked pained. "No," he replied quietly. "There's been nobody since you." 

Her voice was barely above a whisper as she confessed "Same here."   
  


* * *

  
  
**_2001_**

"Stay tuned for a broadcast from the President of the United States of America." The perky blonde newsreader disappeared from the screen, and Daniel reached for the remote control and turned the television off. 

"Have you no interested in the top secret military facility under Cheyenne Mountain, which holds a large stone ring?" Janet asked teasingly, looking up at him. 

Daniel looking at the grinning woman in his arms, and smiled lovingly at her. "The only thing I'm interested in is the beautiful woman next to me," he said, leaning down for a kiss. 

"Oh yuck!" Cassie exclaimed, coming from the kitchen carrying a plate of toast. "When I said I was okay with you two seeing each other, I never said I was okay with seeing it!" 

"Sorry Cass, but you better get used to it, or learn to do everything with your eyes closed," Daniel replied, leaning down for another kiss. Cassie rolled her eyes and headed into Daniel's spare bedroom, closing the door behind her. 

"You hungry?" he asked Janet, as they broke for air. She shook her head. 

"Not really," she said. "Why, are you?" 

"Only for you," he replied, leering at her. 

"Remember we have a teenager in the next room," she said, laughing slightly and trying to ignore his hand creeping under her top. "But if you're a good boy, maybe later when she's asleep and if we're quiet." She grinned impishly up at him. "That means no screaming my name!""Yes, Doctor," he said, kissing her again. "Have I told you how much I love you?" 

"I love you too."   
  


* * *

Janet was able to grab another glass of champagne to try and steady her nerves. Perhaps drinking wasn't the best idea in the company of her ex-lover, but she didn't care. 

"You're looking good," Daniel said, trying again to break the deadly silence. They had been friends before they had been lovers, and he hated the chill that existed between them. 

"Thanks. I do what I can. You look good too," she replied, blushing slightly at the compliment. "Have you been out in the sun recently, or is this just because you don't work under a mountain anymore?" 

Daniel laughed. "I spent some time in Egypt a couple of months ago," he explained. "I was asked to supervise some graduate students while their original supervisor went home on paternity leave." 

"You're a lecturer?" she asked. 

"Washington," she replied. 

"Not too far away then," he replied, smiling at her. Although geographically they were close, he didn't even want to consider how far away from each other mentally and emotionally they now were. 

"No." 

Another silence fell, and Daniel watched her sip her drink and furtively look around for an exit of sorts. 

He sighed deeply. "What happened to us?" he asked in a low voice. 

Janet's eyes flickered to the floor, then back up to face him. "I don't know," she replied honestly. 


	2. Try Hard To Speak

**Try Hard To Speak**

  
  
  
**Category:** angst   
**Spoilers:** "2010"   
**Pairing:** Daniel/Janet   
**Season/Sequel:** Sequel to Small Talk   
**Summary:** _"I didn't know how to tell him then; I still don't know how to tell him now." _   
**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.   
  
  
* * * * * 

He smiled when he saw the car pull up and the familiar figure clamber out. 

"Have fun?" he asked, smirking. She just looked at him. 

"You had the right idea to stay away," Janet told him. 

"Did you talk to him?" Jack wanted to know as they headed inside. He moved to the kitchen area to fix her a drink, while she collapsed on the sofa. 

"Yes," she sighed. "It was weird. I mean, it's been eight years, but when I looked at him, I couldn't remember why I left."   
  
***   
_**2002** _

Jack groaned as someone banged loudly on the door to his cabin. He pushed away the bottle of whiskey and stood up, wondering who was foolish enough to come out to see him at this time of the night in the middle of a thunderstorm. 

Wincing as a large crash of thunder echoed around the sky, he flung open the door. 

A soaking wet Janet Fraiser was standing there, a small overnight bag slung over her shoulder. 

"Janet?" he asked, his brow furrowed in surprise as he moved out of the way of the door to let her in. Shutting the door, he moved towards the bathroom and returned with a couple of towels, which he threw to her. He threw another log on the roaring fire and grabbed another tumbler. He poured a generous shot of whiskey into it and tried to hand it to her, but she shook her head. 

"What are you doing here?" he asked, guiding her to the armchair closest to the fire. 

"I didn't know where else to go," she said, shivering slightly. Jack grabbed the blanket from the back of the sofa and wrapped it around her petite frame. 

"What's happened?" 

"I think I've left Daniel."   
  
*** 

Moving back to the living room, he handed her a glass with a small amount of whiskey in and collapsed into the armchair with a drink of his own. 

"You're still in love with him, aren't you?" he asked. Janet swallowed a mouthful of the amber liquid before nodding slowly. 

"I never stopped loving him, Jack," she said. "It was just... I don't know. We were fine until the Aschen came and then everything just went downhill from there." 

"Tell me about it," Jack remarked bitterly as he drained his glass. "I think I would have preferred to have taken our chance against the Goa'uld." 

She nodded, thinking about what she and Sam had discovered earlier that day. 

After a moments silence, Jack spoke up again. "So, do you think you'll be seeing him again anytime soon?" 

There was a slight flush to Janet's cheeks as she replied "We're going to dinner tonight. Not just us," she quickly clarified. "Sam and Teal'c will be there too. So, if you don't mind..." 

He cut her off. "Not a problem," he assured her. "Did you tell him?" 

She shook her head slowly. "No," she said. "I wanted to, I just couldn't find the words. I didn't know how to tell him then; I still don't know how to tell him now."   
  
***   
_**2002** _

Jack looked at his cousin in shock. "He doesn't know?" he asked again. 

Janet shook her head. "No, and you can't say anything to him either," she said. 

"Janet..." he began warningly. 

"Jack, promise me that you won't say anything - to anyone," she pleaded, her eyes wide. 

He sighed. "You should tell him," he said. "It's not my place to say anything, so I won't." 

Janet visibly relaxed. "Thank you," she said. "I just... I don't know. Everything's just so fucked up at the moment, and this..." She paused, wiping her eyes with her hands. 

Jack looked over at her. "Come here," he said, opening his arms. She all but collapsed into them and he held her tight. "We'll get through this, I promise."   
  
*** 

"Another?" Jack asked, waving his empty glass. Janet shook her head. 

"No, I've got to drive back to the transport terminal soon," she said, sighing. She had pretended to be enthusiastic about the meal earlier, although she really wasn't too sure about it. If she and Sam hadn't found out those statistics earlier then chances were that she'd have called Sam and cancelled. 

"Suit yourself," he replied, standing up in order to refill his own glass. 

"I'd rather you didn't drink so much yourself," Janet informed him. "You're a bad enough influence when sober!" 

Jack grinned. "With her genes, she doesn't need any influence to be trouble!"   
  
***   
_**2003** _

She was vaguely aware of someone telling her that she had to open her eyes and cautiously did so. Jack was standing above her, grinning. 

"Bit of a role reversal here, eh?" he joked. "Used to be me in the bed with you looking down on me. I tried to get one of the doctors to loan me a penlight for old times, but they wouldn't, the boring sods." 

"How long was I out for?" she asked, her throat slightly hoarse. Jack passed over a cup of water from the bedside table and helped her sit up so she could sip at it. 

"Not too long... a couple of hours give or take," he said. Smirking, he added. "Apparently they didn't take into account your size when they put you under." 

She glared at him, and he raised his hand in defence. "Hey, just telling you what they were saying. But right now, there's someone who'd like to meet you." 

He turned away and Janet sat up eagerly, ignoring the pain she was feeling in her lower abdomen. Jack turned back and placed a small bundle in her arms. "Here you go, mommy," he said proudly. 

Janet felt tears welling up as she pushed aside the blanket to look at her baby daughter. 

"Seven pounds, eight ounces," Jack told her. "You did good, kiddo."   
  
*** 

"Speaking of my darling daughter, where is she?" Janet asked, looking around her. 

"Out in the tree house," Jack said, checking his watch. "She should be back in any minute." 

As if on cue, the backdoor slammed. "Uncle Jack, I'm back in time. Can I have some cookies now?" 

Janet turned to face a sheepish looking Jack. "You bribed her?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. 

"Mommy!" A human canon ball launched herself into Janet's arms. "When did you get back? Did you have fun? I still think you should have let me come, although I had fun with Uncle Jack. He was showing me how to play poker..." Jack groaned, and both Fraiser women turned to look at him. 

"Elizabeth Danielle Fraiser, what did I tell you not to tell your mom?" Jack asked. Beth looked sheepish. 

"I wasn't supposed to tell her about the poker or that we had ice-cream for lunch," she said solemnly. Jack just sunk his head in his hands and groaned again. "Oops?" 

Janet shook her head in disbelief as she readjusted the seven-year-old on her lap. "What was I saying about you being a bad influence?"   
  
***   
_**2007** _

"You don't have to leave," Jack said, even as he helped her load the suitcases into the car. "It's not as if you need to work, and since the extension, there's plenty of room." 

Janet closed the trunk and turned to face him. "If it was just me, then yes, I'd probably stay," she said. "But I've got Beth to consider." 

Jack looked blank. "So? It's great for her up her, with the trees and fresh air. It's much healthier for her here than in Washington." 

Janet sighed. "Jack, we're twenty miles from civilisation," she pointed out. "She starts kindergarten in September and the distance is just too much for her to do everyday. There are no other kids out here for her to play with, and even though her Uncle Jack may be a big kid at heart, he's not her age. I want her to be able to socialise with children her age, and before she starts school." 

"I guess you're right," he said. "But why Washington?" 

She shrugged. "The Aschen will let me keep an office there," she sad. "Human doctors may not be in demand much anymore, but I can't **not** be one." She brushed hair away from her face and sighed. "I just need something to keep me occupied while my baby's at school." 

"You'll be back here for vacations though?" Jack asked, hoping that he didn't sound too desperate. He knew that the company of the past five years had been mostly responsible for keeping him sane. 

"As long as you'll have us," she assured him, smiling. 

"Good."   
  
*** 

It was with regret that Janet got back in her car, smiling as Beth blew her kisses from her uncle's arms. "Be good, both of you," she told them. "Beth, you're going to be in bed and asleep by the time I get back, aren't you?" 

She nodded solemnly. "Yes, mommy." 

"I'll wait up for you," Jack told her. "In case you need an ear, or a shoulder." 

Janet smiled tightly. "I might need both."   
  
* * * * *   
  
  


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	3. Something To Talk About

**Something To Talk About**

  
  
  
**Category:** angst   
**Spoilers:** "2010"   
**Pairing:** Daniel/Janet   
**Rating:** R   
**Season/Sequel:** Sequel to Try Hard To Speak   
**Summary:** Some things are always difficult to talk about   
**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.   
  
  
* * * * * 

"So, you and Daniel, eh?" Sam began conversationally as they stood in the computer lab of the Jupiter Ignition Project. A holographic projection of the sun was in the middle of the room, and Janet had been watching the movement along the surface. Sam had sent Jack and Daniel out to find something to eat, knowing that they had some time before Joe was expected to arrive with the GDO and that they were unlikely to find any time to eat later. 

"Me and Daniel what?" Janet asked innocently, not looking up from the sun. Sam rolled her eyes. 

"Come on, Janet," she said. "It's obvious that you've... well, you know. The tension between you has gone." 

"Unlike the tension between you and a certain relative of mine," Janet replied, trying to steer the topic of conversation away from her and Daniel. She didn't want to think about it, knowing what could be happening before darkness fell that evening. 

Sam was not to be deterred. "Did you tell him?" 

She did not need to clarify what. As soon as Sam had found out about her honorary niece she had been adamant that Janet should tell Daniel. 

Janet glanced up at her friend. "Yes."   
  
***   
_**Two nights earlier** _

"Daniel, I need to talk to you about something," Janet's voice was deceptively calm as she laid a hand on his arm, preventing him from leaving. 

"Uh, sure," Daniel replied, looking surprised. "Now?" 

She nodded. "I don't know when I'll get the chance to tell you if not." 

"Okay," he said slowly. "There's a Starbucks nearby if you want, or..." 

"That'll be fine," she said, cutting him off. Fifteen minutes later, they were sitting at a table in the far corner, nursing a drink each. 

Janet was fiddling with her mug, not knowing where to begin. "This isn't easy for me to say," she started, finally looking up and facing him. "Daniel, when I left you, I... I was pregnant." She watched all the colour drain from his face. "I kept the baby, it was a little girl." 

"Why?" His voice was barely more than a whisper. "Why didn't you tell me this before?" 

"I don't know," she confessed, looking back down at her drink. "I was scared, I was confused. I tried to tell you. I lost count of the number of times I picked up the phone to call you, so I could tell you." 

"I have a daughter..." Daniel was clearly shell-shocked by the news. "Have you got any pictures with you?" 

"Oh, yeah." Janet rummaged in her purse and pulled a couple of dog-eared photos out. She handed them over, and Daniel held them as reverently as she'd seen him with any of his artefacts. 

"She's beautiful," he said hoarsely. "She looks just like you." 

"Her eyes - and her temper tantrums - are all you," Janet told him, and he grinned slightly. 

"What's her name?" 

"Elizabeth. Elizabeth Danielle, but we just call her Beth," Janet said. He tried to pass the photos back, but she refused to take them. 

"Keep them," she said. "I'd make copies of more for you, if you know, we weren't planning on changing the world." 

"Can I meet her?" he asked, almost hopefully. "I know we don't have much time before we try to change history, but I just want to see her with my own eyes." 

"Sure," she replied, smiling. "She's with Jack in Minnesota tonight." She paused and thought for a moment, before offering shyly. "If you want, you could come back with me tonight and meet her tomorrow morning, before Sam comes up to the cabin to see Jack. It's just that the cabin's really hard to find and it takes a while to get there, so one of us would have to fetch you and…" 

"Janet," he interrupted. "That's fine. If we can just make a quick detour to my apartment first." 

"No problem," Janet said. "I can give Jack a quick call and let him know that we'll be having company." 

They rose, leaving their drinks untouched.   
  
*** 

"And it's only taken you eight years," Sam remarked, more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Janet looked at her friend, hurt. "Sorry, Janet. I'm just nervous about all of this, and well, you know what I thought about that whole thing." 

Janet sighed. "I know, and I know I should have told him before and telling him now doesn't change the fact that I didn't." 

"Would you have told him that night if we weren't doing this now?" Sam asked. 

"Maybe not then" her friend said. "But even as I was talking to him at the champagne reception, I knew that I had to tell him." 

Sam nodded. "Good. So, has he had the chance to meet her?" Janet nodded. "Well?" 

"Love at first sight," she said. "I just watched them, and felt so guilty about not telling him earlier. We decided not to tell Beth though. If this fails... she could be losing an aunt and uncle and to meet this man who I say is her daddy, only to lose him two days later... I couldn't do that to her." 

Sam was looking at her curiously. "And what about her mommy and daddy?"   
  
***   
_**Two nights earlier** _

She had known what was going to happen when she'd asked him if he wanted to stay the night in Minnesota. She knew that Jack suspected it when she had called him, and while he didn't voice his disapproval, she knew that he wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea. The car journey back to the cabin had been silent, allowing them time alone with their thoughts. 

"Do you want a drink?" Janet offered as she locked the door behind them. The room was only illuminated by two table lamps and as she had suspected, Jack had gone to bed. 

"No, thank you," Daniel replied, watching her stop half way between the door at the kitchen. 

"Okay, I can show you to the spare room, and..." Her voice faded away as he moved so he was standing directly in front of her. He raised his hand to her cheek and she unconsciously leaned into his touch. He leant down hesitantly and brushed his lips softly against hers. He pulled away slightly and she followed him. He moved forward again and the second kiss became increasingly more passionate. He had forgotten how intoxicating her kisses could be, and as it continued, realised just how aroused he was becoming from this one kiss. His hands moved up to her hair, and he pulled out the pins and ran his fingers through it as it cascaded down. 

He pulled away from her slightly breathless. "Janet, if you don't want... I mean, I don't think I'll be able to stop..." She rose up on tiptoes to place a short, sweet kiss on his lips to shut him up, before taking both of his hands in hers and shyly pulling him towards her bedroom. 

"I don't think you would be here if I didn't want..." she smiled seductively as he shut and locked the door behind them. He captured her lips again with his and placed both hands on her hips and lifted her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and locked her legs around his waist and he carried her to the bed. Lying her down carefully, he took a moment to study her flushed face. One hand tenderly swept a few stray strands of hair away and she smiled up at him. Her hands reached for his tie and made quick work of the Windsor knot and tossed it away. He shrugged off his jacket as her fingers moved to his buttons. She wriggled underneath him, kicking off her shoes he realised when he heard them fall onto the floor. He moved away from her, his shirt half undone as he removed his own shoes and socks, before returning back. He straddled her as he undid the fastenings on the front of her jacket and carefully removed it before tossing it aside. He watched the swell of her breasts, now only covered by a simple cotton brassiere, rise and fall with every breath she took. His gaze moved downwards to a scar across her abdomen. 

"I had to have a caesarean," she explained as his fingers gently probed it, rather like she had done with his appendicitis scar many years ago. "The umbilical cord had wrapped around her neck. That's when it became clear she was a Jackson!" She laughed and Daniel grinned, before leaning down and kissing her again. 

They continued to undress each other slowly, rediscovering each other's bodies until the early hours of the morning. 

"I love you," Janet whispered to him as she lay in his arms afterwards. "I never stopped loving you." 

"I love you too," he replied, kissing her gently on the forehead. "I was an idiot to let you leave." 

"I was more the fool who left," she said. She paused for a minute, then laughed. "I would say 'if only we could turn back time', but that really is the plan. We'll be erasing our own mistakes along with the world's." 

"Well, then let's hope for better luck next time."   
  
*** 

Janet shrugged. "We're doing fine," she said noncommittally. "We've tried to catch up a bit, even though there's not really much point to it." She smiled at Sam, hoping that would be enough. 

"Catching up on eight years of sex in a couple of days is pretty much impossible, isn't it?" Sam remarked innocently. 

Janet shook her head in disbelief. "You don't give up, do you, Sam?" she asked, wiping her hand across her face. Sam moved closer. 

"I'm sorry, Janet," she said. "It's just that the pair of you are so easy to read, especially to me. I just thought talking about it might help." 

Janet sighed. "Fine! Yes, Daniel and I are having sex. Yes, I still love him. Yes, I should never have left him because I loved him throughout these last eight years. And if this doesn't work, and I lose him, I don't know what I'll do."   
  
***   
_**The night before** _

"Ironically, Beth's class will be taking a field trip to the Aschen home world tomorrow," Janet remarked as she lay in his arms again. They knew that they couldn't make up the last eight years, but had to make the most of their time together. "I didn't really want her to go, but I couldn't not let her. It's all she's been talking about for the last few weeks really. She's fascinated by the gate." Janet paused, and laughed slightly. "It was really funny when she was in second grade and they looked at the SGC. There was a little bit about SG-1 and she was telling everyone "That's my Uncle Jack and Auntie Sam." She got a bit upset when they didn't believe her, so I had to dig out photos for her to take in to prove it." 

Daniel chuckled. "She seems really close to Jack," he commented. 

Janet nodded. "We lived with him in Minnesota until just before she started kindergarten," she explained. "For the first year I was terrified that you'd come and find me." 

He sighed. "I never even thought that you'd be up there," he said. "As far as I knew, none of us had heard from him since he moved up there. I tried just about everyone else though - Sam, your parents, your brothers and sister... none of them would tell me anything." 

"Actually, only my parents knew where I was for the first year," she said. "Anyone who wanted to contact me had to go through them first." 

"Which explains why I never got through," he said, a trace of bitterness in his voice. 

"I know, and I'm sorry." 

"I know you are," he replied, moving to kiss her. "But if I had been able to contact you, would you have seen me?" 

She sighed. "I don't know," she admitted honestly. "Probably not, because I figured that if I did see you again, then we'd have probably ended up like this... And to start with, I was convinced that we were over and that if we did end up in bed together again, then it would be a terrible mistake." 

"Is this a mistake now?" 

She shook her head slowly. "If it is, it's the best mistake I've ever made." 

They were quiet for a few minutes, enjoying the other's company, before she spoke up again. "I still don't see why I can't stay with you tomorrow." 

"If we don't make it, Beth will need her mother," Daniel said. The one thing that they had immediately agreed on was that Janet was to go through the gate to let Teal'c know when to come through. "And the world will need to know the truth." 

She smiled sadly up at him. "I find you only to lose you again after a few days," she said. He tightened his grip on her. 

"I loved you long before we met the Aschen," he assured her. "And if we never meet them, then you won't leave me. We'll get married, we'll have a family and we'll live happily ever after."   
  
*** 

Sam wrapped her arms around her friend and hugged her. "Which is why we won't fail... we can't fail. There's too much at stake here." Her voice was barely above a whisper as she added "And not just the fate of the world." 

Janet knew that without the treaty with the Aschen, Sam's chances of meeting Joe again were slim. Sam was losing a stable and loving marriage, with no idea what would happen to her past self. They were all risking losing something, or someone, what with saving the human race. For the former members of SG-1, it was a 'been there, done that' situation, although before they'd only really risked their own lives. 

Pulling away, Janet turned to wipe her eyes. This story was going to have a happy ending and she was not going to cry. 

"We come bearing food," Jack announced as he and Daniel returned. 

"And coffee," Daniel quickly added. Janet grabbed a cup off her lover and reached up to kiss him. 

"Thank you," she said, smiling as she removed the lid and inhaled the rich aroma. 

Daniel looked confused. "For what?" 

"The coffee... for loving me... for Beth... for being you," she shrugged. Looking round at her friends as they descended on the bags of food, she smiled to herself. They would succeed. As Sam had said, there was too much at stake for them not to. Her eyes drifted towards where Daniel was grinning at something Jack had just said. 

They would have their happily ever after.   
  
* * * * *   
  
  


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